Easter 2022

[gfweb]

2 minutes ago, johnnyd said:

We've gone with a Levantine menu for a few years now. This year, I'm thinking Musakhan chicken thighs on onions with sumac. Pilaf with fruit and nuts in it. I saw a tahini with pomegranate syrup which looks interesting. We did lamb kebabs last year and I have some in the freezer, so maybe those too. There's a Iraqi bakery a couple miles from us who make a big puffy naan so we'll have to get those...

Great idea!

[johnnyd]

The Iraqi bakery also have terrific sides like stuffed grape leaves, pickled veggies, a ton of hummus seasoned every which-way and baklava-type sweets oozing with honey...yum!

[heidih]

@johnnyd thanks for the inspiration I'm headed to the market now but my list may now become flexible

[Kim Shook]

15 hours ago, MaryIsobel said:

We are going to have Easter "Slunch" this year next Saturday. A meal that will be served at 3:00. Due to our shift working daughter, that is the time that works. Also, my Dad passed away on Wednesday so my sister who lives about 4 hours away will be joining us but is unable to leave until Saturday morning. We'll have baked ham, potato casserole that we call Schwartzies potatoes but is also known as Funeral potatoes. Ina's Green, Green Spring Vegetables, rolls, hot cross buns, and a layered salad that I am making up as I go. It will be a riff on shrimp cocktail, but with more veg, served in a trifle bowl. Angel Food Cake, sliced into layers with lemon curd in between layers, frosted with barely sweetened whipped cream. A shot glass in the middle of the cake will hold a few daffodils from the yard. Also thumbprint cookies with toasted coconut and a dab of chocolate ganache with a few Cadbury mini eggs in each. Dictated by tradition. 

I'm so sorry for the loss of your dad.  But it's good that your daughter and sister will be able to be with you.  

[heidih]

Well the grocery store was disapointing. No lamb worth purchasing. Butcher said he did not receive any lamb he ordered!  Only thing that caught my eye were the one pack of meaty pork neck boes. They will go low and slow resting on a bed of garlic, garden rosemary and orchard sour orange slices with a light mustard rub. There was well priced broccholi - so a fat tight crown will anchor the Green Thursday soup and leftovers will serve for the tide over on Sunday as the smell of roasting pork entices, Sides still thinking. No more shoppig so it will be what I have in house.

[Kim Shook]

I did my non-perishable shopping today and will get the fresh stuff on Friday.  This has turned into the crazy month.  Easter, my mother's memorial service on 4/23, my turn to not only shop for, but to actually prepare the 125 lunches that our church takes to homeless shelters every month.  Sheesh!  I know it will all get done because it has to, but I'm worn out just thinking about it.

[heidih]

(OMG it is gently raining here!)  I and many here @Kim Shookwould happily do those lunches for you if geography allowed. You got this. Look forward to your menu

[Kim Shook]

I left out one thing.  Jessica and I are making chocolate dipped pretzel rods, marshmallows, and 75 strawberries for Saturday night's Easter Vigil at church.  I am furiously working on my timeline for this week right now.  I know I'll feel better when I know exactly what I have to do and when I have to do it!  

[curls]

13 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

I did my non-perishable shopping today and will get the fresh stuff on Friday.  This has turned into the crazy month.  Easter, my mother's memorial service on 4/23, my turn to not only shop for, but to actually prepare the 125 lunches that our church takes to homeless shelters every month.  Sheesh!  I know it will all get done because it has to, but I'm worn out just thinking about it.

Wow Kim that is a lot for a month let alone one week. Perhaps you can delegate some of this to others. Wishing you all the best memories of your mother. 

[heidih]

Decided to make my Green Thursday soup today since I prefer broccoli soup rested over night. Simply done with half big crown roasted with fish sauce as the salt and olive oil. Other half simmered in water with chickn powder as the salt, lots of blackpepper, touch of Dijon mustard (like it with crucifers) All buzzed with stick blender and smoothed out with a bit of coconut milk. Threw a handful of frozen green peas in too. Will have tomorrow with some green onion on top and a squeeze of tangelo. The poor tree is bearing for Easter instead of Christmas. Crazy world.

 

[Allura]

My mother retired last year so and since we can all get back together, she's indulging in her love of cooking and feeding an army of...7...So far she's apparently making ham (11lbs) and brisket (4lbs. Dad's Jewish, Mom's Catholic, so...), baked sweet potatoes, broccoli with chees sauce, steamed green beans, Mediterranean salad (?) And she's making the ham pie (aka Pizza Rustica/Easter Pie) this year because I have zero energy between work, Holy Week services (Altar Guild head...) and leftover Covid fatigue. Dessert is apparently apple matzo kugel, chocolate covered matzo, and maybe cream puffs! And Easter candy. And Jewish style coconut macaroons. I suspect we'll all have leftovers.

[heidih]

@Allura I love the blend of traditions. If time permits can you elaborate on the Easter Pie? Thanks for reminding me abut the coconuit macaroons that are in Kosher section featured now. I like a good moist one. Used to indulge after exams at a bakery at origonal Farmers Market in the historically Jewish Fairfax district. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairfax_District,_Los_Angeles

[chileheadmike]

1 hour ago, Allura said:

My mother retired last year so and since we can all get back together, she's indulging in her love of cooking and feeding an army of...7...So far she's apparently making ham (11lbs) and brisket (4lbs. Dad's Jewish, Mom's Catholic, so...), baked sweet potatoes, broccoli with chees sauce, steamed green beans, Mediterranean salad (?) And she's making the ham pie (aka Pizza Rustica/Easter Pie) this year because I have zero energy between work, Holy Week services (Altar Guild head...) and leftover Covid fatigue. Dessert is apparently apple matzo kugel, chocolate covered matzo, and maybe cream puffs! And Easter candy. And Jewish style coconut macaroons. I suspect we'll all have leftovers.

I kind of want to go to this. Sounds amazing. 

[Katie Meadow]

On 4/10/2022 at 9:55 PM, MaryIsobel said:

We are going to have Easter "Slunch" this year next Saturday. A meal that will be served at 3:00. Due to our shift working daughter, that is the time that works. Also, my Dad passed away on Wednesday so my sister who lives about 4 hours away will be joining us but is unable to leave until Saturday morning. We'll have baked ham, potato casserole that we call Schwartzies potatoes but is also known as Funeral potatoes. Ina's Green, Green Spring Vegetables, rolls, hot cross buns, and a layered salad that I am making up as I go. It will be a riff on shrimp cocktail, but with more veg, served in a trifle bowl. Angel Food Cake, sliced into layers with lemon curd in between layers, frosted with barely sweetened whipped cream. A shot glass in the middle of the cake will hold a few daffodils from the yard. Also thumbprint cookies with toasted coconut and a dab of chocolate ganache with a few Cadbury mini eggs in each. Dictated by tradition. 

Are "slunch" and "linner" the same? Besides that fact that auto-correct hates them both? We usually eat linner some time between  3:30 and 4:30, then a snack a few hours later.

[chileheadmike]

Just three of us this year. My wife has demanded asparagus and devilled eggs. My daughter is demanding lamb, which my wife says she doesn't like although has never tried, she want ham. 

 

So, all of the above with some kind of potatoes and probably strawberry short cake. 

[heidih]

17 minutes ago, chileheadmike said:

Just three of us this year. My wife has demanded asparagus and devilled eggs. My daughter is demanding lamb, which my wife says she doesn't like although has never tried, she want ham. 

 

So, all of the above with some kind of potatoes and probably strawberry short cake. 

In my local farmers markets I associate asparagus with Easter and strawberries a little further out. Of course we live in a global food world with transport and imports from other weather and growing zones. How are the berries looking at this time for you? Whatt kind of lamb does daughter favor?

[chileheadmike]

Strawberries will be from Kroger.

Haven't decided on lamb yet. Either shanks done low and slow over grapevine wood or a rack of lamb hot and fast over some olive hardwood charcoal that I have. I marinate with dijon, garlic, rosemary, lemon and olive oil. 

[Kim Shook]

I will be venturing out tomorrow in search of 75 attractive and tasty-as-possible strawberries that Jessica and I will dip and chocolate to serve at our church along with a champagne toast after Saturday's Easter vigil.  It has become a tradition over the last few years and everyone seems to enjoy them.  I realize the strawberries are subpar, but who am I to argue.  If it were me?  I'd buy a ton of candied and dried fruits to dip.  

[heidih]

I have never understood the allure of the chocolate dipoed berries. I keep getting pop up ads today for some elaborate and expensve ones to order! Not my idrea of a treat. Kind of you to grin & bear it for traditions sake.

[Kim Shook]

5 minutes ago, heidih said:

I have never understood the allure of the chocolate dipoed berries. I keep getting pop up ads today for some elaborate and expensve ones to order! Not my idrea of a treat. Kind of you to grin & bear it for traditions sake.

Oh, I love them.  I just love them a LOT when the strawberries are perfectly ripe.  

[Owtahear]

Old school Catholic Easter Weekend in the Northeast

 

Good Friday.    Maine Scallops in the water Wednesday, with an Orange/Ginger/Star Anise sauce

Sous vide Monkfish wrapped with prosciutto in a chorizo broth

Arugula/Pear/Walnut/golden raisin/blue cheese salad with balsamic vinegar

 

Ham Saturday

Roast ham

Potato salad 

old school broccoli rice cheese casserole.  

1978 we live!!!

 

Easter

Elysian Field Boneless Leg of Lamb on Rotisserie with herb/garlic stuffing

Mint Chimchurri sauce

Leftover Ham for those who don't like Lamb

Salt and Vinegar Smashed roasted potatoes

Asparagus with a lemon butter sauce

Roasted carrots with a ginger glaze

Smashed Sichuan style cucumbers

Garlic Bread

 

Hopefully someone buys me a drink after funding all of this and doing most of the cooking!!!  

[MaryIsobel]

9 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

Are "slunch" and "linner" the same? Besides that fact that auto-correct hates them both? We usually eat linner some time between  3:30 and 4:30, then a snack a few hours later.

I suppose, although I don't think either of them are actually words. I just called it slunch because we went back and forth between lunch and brunch and supper. Then turned out that one of my daughters could only manage it between day shifts and night shifts so she will need to sleep and get ready for work at 7 that night, so a 3:00 meal worked.

[blue_dolphin]

19 minutes ago, Owtahear said:

Old school Catholic Easter Weekend in the Northeast

 

Good Friday.    Maine Scallops in the water Wednesday, with an Orange/Ginger/Star Anise sauce

Sous vide Monkfish wrapped with prosciutto in a chorizo broth

Arugula/Pear/Walnut/golden raisin/blue cheese salad with balsamic vinegar

That all sounds pretty amazing!  
Though I must say the old school Catholics of my upbringing would certainly look askance at the appearance of prosciutto and chorizo on Good Friday 🙃

[heidih]

1 hour ago, Kim Shook said:

Oh, I love them.  I just love them a LOT when the strawberries are perfectly ripe.  

If we were not all different - how boring would life be? I don't like gravy either

[Allura]

On 4/13/2022 at 7:57 PM, heidih said:

@Allura I love the blend of traditions. If time permits can you elaborate on the Easter Pie? Thanks for reminding me abut the coconuit macaroons that are in Kosher section featured now. I like a good moist one. Used to indulge after exams at a bakery at origonal Farmers Market in the historically Jewish Fairfax district. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairfax_District,_Los_Angeles

 

So I grew up calling it "ham pie" but apparently other Italian Americans call it Easter Pie or Pizza Rustica. We have it for any holiday, not just Easter. It's basically a pie crust filled with a mix of ricotta, and cured meats. with egg as binder. In my family it's ham, salami, and provolone, and parmesan. I suspect it of being extra popular for us because my grandfather owned a butcher shop and my grandmother would dice up the ends of the cold cuts to make it. A lot of recipes online show a top crust; I learned just to do a simple lattice with leftover crust. I usually make it in a rectangular baking dish since we cut it in small rectangles and eat it as an appetizer in the kitchen while waiting on dinner.